This invention relates to computerized group decision support systems. Specifically the invention involves the computerized implementation of a modification of the Synectics innovative problem solving methodology and innovation body of knowledge.
Decision making processes in business are often haphazard, unstructured and unorganized affairs. Lack of teamwork, poor skills in personal interaction, disorganization and fear of risk taking plague organizations interested in innovation and growth. No systematic methodology for spurring innovation has been successfully developed to allow teams of individuals, large or small in number, whether in a single room or around the globe, to tackle and conquer tough problems.
One method of sparking innovation through teamwork and collaboration uses the Innovative Teamwork Program ("ITP"). Synectics ITP embodies processes utilized by a team of eight to ten participants to solve problems. One participant, the client, is the owner of the problem and designates the problem to be solved. Another participant is designated the facilitator, while the remaining members of the team are designated as problem solving resources. The facilitator acts as the neutral process manager of the team, designing a process plan to meet the team's objectives, keeping track of time, developing and managing an agenda and ensuring full participation of all members of the team. Resources are expected to wrestle with the problem and devise solutions. A critical teaching of the Synectics ITP is that there are three channels of communication: words, tones and non-verbals. Synectics ITP teaches that it is especially true in problem solving meetings that participants focus on the non-verbal and tonal communications because they account for 93% of the message being communicated. Synectics has a five step method of problem solving: defining the task; exploring thoughts about the task; selecting areas for further development; developing and refining those areas; and creating an action plan for implementation of ideas. This five step method organizes problem solving meetings and encourages innovation.
While the Synectics methodology excels at solving the problems of lack of organization, lack of innovative thought, and poor interpersonal skills among team members, the Synectics methodology does not address all of the problems in innovative problem solving. As stated in the preceding paragraph, Synectics requires that there be no more than eight to ten people in a Synectics problem solving team. In addition, all team members must be located in the same room during a Synectics session. Because of the vocal nature of Synectics communication, only one team member may speak at a time, thus limiting participation. In addition, since all members of the team are physically present in the same room, only one area or problem may be investigated at a given time. Because all of the participants are face to face, there is less risk taking than a more anonymous process would produce. Also, since physical presence is required in a Synectics session, each individual can only participate in one problem solving team at a time. Another limitation is that Synectics teaches against remote team members participating in a problem solving session because of the importance of the non-verbal cues to communications.
Many problem solving methodologies have attempted to solve the problem of group interaction through the use of formal methodologies. Others have focused on solving the problems of remote team members. Existing interactive group communication systems have advanced the ability of remote team members to share documents and comments over a computer network, but they have no formal methodology that addresses problem solving.
It is known in the prior art to link various computer systems together and share data between the different systems. It is also known in the prior art of interactive group communication systems to simultaneously update shared documents, simultaneously conference a single individual in multiple problem solving teams, and plan meeting agenda using computerized planning programs. The limitation of all of the prior art in the area of interactive group communication systems is they provide no guidance or structure for creative problem solving. While the prior art enables the physical communication systems necessary for remote group interaction, it does not provide, anticipate, disclose or enable any method of leveraging these systems to enhance group decision making or to spur innovation.
For the foregoing reasons, there is need for a computerized group decision support system that allows participation by large numbers of team members, some of whom may be located in remote locations. There should be no degradation of results due to larger numbers of participants. In fact, having as many as forty or fifty participants should lead to enhanced results and innovations, as diversity enriches innovative problem solving.
Furthermore, a system is needed that allows simultaneous participation in the creative problem solving effort by more than one member of the team and permits more than one aspect of the problem to be tackled simultaneously by the team. More than one team member should be able to speak to the problem at the same time. The conventional limitation of a single speaker at a time should be eliminated. A problem should be able to be broken down into multiple suggestions and actions. Each suggestion should be able to be investigated by some team members without disturbing other team members.
Also, a system is required that will facilitate the development of creative and novel ideas when team members encounter a dead end in their thought processes. The system should spur creative thinking and free members of teams from the conscious mental constraints and socially imposed limitations that have been placed upon them. Such a system should allow the problem solvers to shed their current paradigms and embrace creative responses based on high newness and personal intrigue.
In addition, a system is required that encourages innovation and allows individuals to be participants of more than one problem solving team. While sitting at a computer console at one's desk, an individual should be able to participate in more than one problem solving team. That individual should be able to switch from team to team with a minimum of effort.
There is also a need for a computerized system that has a formal methodology that encourages innovation while maintaining a structured problem solving process. It is not enough that this new system provide the tools to interact; the new computerized system should be a true creative problem solving system which helps to lead participants through the problem solving process and to innovative solutions.
Whatever the merits of prior problem solving systems, they do not achieve the benefits of the present invention.